BRICS: A bridge across three oceans

Apr 09, 2012

Rossiyskaya Gazeta

Andrei Artemyev

Chinese President Hu Jintao: "Cooperation on practical matters is a strong basis for interaction among the BRICS countries." Source: AFP / East News

On the eve of the fourth BRICS summit, held in New Delhi, India on March 28-29, Chinese President Hu Jintao sat down with representatives of leading media outlets from the BRICS countries, including Andrei Artemyev of Rossiiskaya Gazeta.

Rossiyskaya
Gazeta: What does China expect from this meeting?

Hu
Jintao: The fourth BRICS summit is taking place against the backdrop of
profound and complex change in the international situation. With the recovery
of the world economy not certain, the emerging markets and countries continuing
to strengthen their place and role in world politics. India, as the country
holding the presidency, has done a large amount of fruitful work to prepare for
the meeting. China is ready to work together with the other participants towards
ensuring its success.

We hope that the summit, like all the previous meetings, will
help to strengthen coordination and interaction between the five countries over
the financial and economic situation in the world and other topical issues of
common interest. We also hope that the summit will issue a strong signal to the
effect that steady recovery of the world economy is possible, that the summit
will give an impetus to stronger global economic regulation and will contribute
to stimulating joint development throughout the world.

It is no less important that the summit should, among other
things, succeed in strengthening the institutional growth of BRICS and develop
a plan for future cooperation with a view to long-term development of
cooperation among the BRICS countries.

R.G.: How does China assess the impact of the emerging markets and
countries on the world architecture, considering their growing might?

Hu
Jintao: Today, a whole group of emerging markets and developing
countries, with their rapidly growing economies, is becoming a considerable
force for upholding peace and promoting joint development in the world.

These countries are steadfastly following the path of peaceful
and harmonious development through cooperation. They represent an important
part of global development, contributing to a more balanced development of the
world economy and to international relations becoming more rational, global
regulation more efficient and international peace stronger.

Since the international financial crisis in 2008, it has been
these countries that have been stimulating global economic recovery by their
development. In the process of global economic regulation, they are becoming
ever more representative and are having a bigger say in favor of just and
rational development of the world order. All these facts provide added proof
that general prosperity in the world is, indeed, impossible without a rise of
the emerging markets and developing countries, and there can be no peace and
stability on Earth without tranquility in these countries. The international
community should take a long-term view and support the development of these
countries from a strategic high ground.

R.G.: How does China assess the dynamics of cooperation among the
BRICS countries, its future areas and the role of the five countries in global
regulation? How, in China’s opinion, should the BRICS countries strengthen
their collaboration in protecting the interests of the developing countries?

Hu
Jintao: The BRICS countries are the champions and vehicles of the
interests of the developing countries. Through their cooperation, they are
promoting South-South cooperation and South-North dialogue, helping to
implement the UN Millennium Goals, promoting early fulfillment of the Doha
development round mandate and a bigger voice on the part of the developing
countries in global economic regulation, and are opposing protectionism in any
form whatsoever. We are convinced that cooperation among BRICS countries meets
the objective imperative of economic globalization and democratization of
international relations.

Related:

[The BRICS summits in] Yekaterinburg, Brasilia, Sanya and New
Delhi are witnesses to the constant improvement of BRICS institutionally and
formation of a structure for cooperation at many different levels. There is
growing mutual political trust and deepening practical cooperation in the
economic, financial and trade spheres and in developing other spheres; there
are signs of more vigorous activity in agreeing and coordinating our positions
on crucial international matters and of a constructive role in global
regulation. Cooperation among the BRICS countries can be said to be cooperation
with a strong foundation, cooperation with a serious potential and broad
prospects.

Cooperation with emerging markets and developing countries,
including BRICS countries, is China’s foreign policy priority. We firmly
support and take an active part in cooperation within the BRICS format. We are
ready, together with the other participants, to multiply our efforts to broaden
the range of common interests and upgrade the level of cooperation for the sake
of the noble cause of peace and development of all humankind.

R.G.: How does China see the practical cooperation between the five
countries? What important results have already been achieved since the BRICS
mechanism was put in place? What important new initiatives can we expect in the
near future in the sphere of institutional strengthening and development of
practical cooperation?

Hu
Jintao: Cooperation on practical matters is a strong basis for
interaction among the BRICS countries. In recent years, practical cooperation
among the five countries, having started virtually from zero, has been
constantly invested with new substance and new forms. That cooperation meets
the common interests of the five countries and has a good economic and social
foundation.

During the past year, the BRICS countries, working actively to implement
the action plan of the Sanya Declaration, have strengthened their cooperation
in such spheres as finance, trade, industry, healthcare, agriculture,
statistics, science and technology and between think tanks. The joint work has
yielded real benefits for the peoples of the five countries and has
consolidated the dynamics of cooperation.

As for development of the cooperation among the BRICS countries,
at the next stage, in the opinion of the Chinese side, the priorities should be
as follows: first, to consolidate the existing foundations. It is necessary to
proceed in the spirit of pragmatism and commitment to high returns in order to
make cooperation among the five countries more solid and efficient, creating
model projects. Second, we should display enterprise and initiative in our
work. It is important, in accordance with the social and economic development
needs of the BRICS countries, to seek new spheres of cooperation, reveal the
potential for interaction and lend new power and energy to BRICS.

I am convinced that, if all our countries continue to be guided
by the principles of openness, solidarity and mutual assistance, working
together, the multifarious practical cooperation with BRICS will certainly
reach new horizons for the benefit of our peoples.

R.G.: How does China see its relations with other BRICS countries? The
Republic of South Africa joined BRICS this year. How does China see the
contribution by that newcomer?

Hu
Jintao: China has strategic partnership relations with all the BRICS
countries. The development of links with BRICS partners is one of China’s
foreign policy priorities.

Brazil is one of the first developing countries to have
established strategic partnership relations with China. In recent years, the
two countries have maintained fairly close high-level contacts; political
mutual trust is growing and mechanisms of cooperation are improving by the day.
It is worth saying that close cooperation and coordination of efforts concern
key international and regional affairs.

China and Russia are each other’s biggest neighbors and partners
in many fields. Bilateral relations are developing rapidly and are following a
healthy and steadfast course. The program for development of Chinese-Russian
relations over the next 10 years and a series of other key accords and
agreements between our two countries’ leaders are being actively implemented.
Diverse cooperation between the two countries in many other areas is gathering
momentum.

Strategic cooperation and partnership between China and India
have, in recent years, enjoyed all-around development. Sustained, healthy and
stable development of bilateral ties between China and India, as two neighboring
and major developing countries, benefits not only the peoples of the two
countries, but peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the world in
general.

The Chinese people and the people of South Africa have deep
bonds of friendship. Ever since diplomatic relations were established,
bilateral relations have experienced rapid and all-around growth. We have
fruitful cooperation in the political, trade and economic, humanitarian spheres
and in international affairs. This is not only in the interests of the two
countries, but going a long way to developing China’s relations with the whole
of Africa, cementing cohesion and interaction in the ranks of the developing
countries. The accession of South Africa to BRICS has made that association
still more representative.